1980 Ford Escort RS2000 Custom |

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1980 Ford Escort RS2000 Custom

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Mileage~46,932 on clock
Transmission4-Speed Manual
Engine2.0-litre
LocationSwadlincote

AUCTION CLOSED

1980 Ford Escort RS2000 Custom

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Introduction

Darren Rungasamy

Editor and Photographer

The RS2000 had greatness thrust upon it from new, and is now up there with the Ford all-time heroes.

The Escort’s reputation as a durable, simple and lightweight design made it a perfect candidate for Ford's rally campaign of the 1970s. Powered by a series of powerful and reliable engines, Ford capitalised on this marketable asset and created a series of Rally Sports-themed specials. Essentially, by selling the very same cars that won the rally stages, Ford forged a showroom legend out of their humble mass-market Escort.

Successive sporting evolutions of the 1968 originals culminated in the 1975 MK2 RS2000. Nattily more refined and plusher to drive, Ford also harnessed a driving civility and comfort without diluting the agile chassis and tough drivetrain. Ford placed the RS2000 upmarket, pricing it higher, but designed the car to be more distinctive than its humble siblings. The low-drag sloping nose, complemented by a neat rear spoiler and prominent side graphics, gave the car plenty of presence. Luckily, there was more to the RS2000 than just its fancy party frock.

Powered by the proven single overhead cam 2.0-litre engine mated to a close-ratio gearbox, it was noted as a lively unit, offering impressive acceleration. Inside the high-backed seats and comprehensive dashboard features justified the additional costs. However, it wasn’t enough to shift units, and in 1978, the RS2000 was reevaluated with less equipment and sold for a more attractive price. This paved the way for the top of the range RS2000 Custom, which retained a higher level of trim and equipment, but was also enhanced by Fishnet Recaro seats, full door cards, clock and pod, centre console, 6Jx13 alloys, boot carpet, remote driver's door mirror and the blacked out taillight panel.

Recognised as one of the most desirable MK2 Escorts, this smartly presented 1980 RS2000 Custom is finished in diamond white with a brown cloth interior - so period. It retains all of its original fittings and has been well-maintained by its owners until it was placed into storage around 10 years ago. So it needs a little TLC now to bring it up a level, reflected in the reserve price, but what an opportunity for a Ford enthusiast to take on.

This listing was written from information supplied by Darren after meeting Dave the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I only went in to buy one car, but ended up with a collection!

Dave is absolutely a petrol head, there is no denying that - his choice of cars range from a collection of "Fast Fords" spanning 5 decades, to modern supercars like Lamborghini Aventadors and luxury Rolls-Royces.

Dave is thinning down his collection now, and as the classics get much less use, they are coming to market for the first time in a long time. We've already sold a stunning 1993 Ford Escort RS Cosworth for him and now moving on to other Fords in his collection that will be coming to market this year.

This particular car was acquired by Dave ~3 years ago and really hasn't seen much use, plus it needs a little work to bring it up a level, so it's the next in line for a new home.

Dave will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Dave

Vehicle Owner

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Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Cleanly presented with its correct trim, it needs a little TLC to make it perfect.

Wheels and Tyres

The 6Jx13 alloys are in good condition with minimal wear. There is just a black paint mark on the front nearside wheel.

The tyres have a spec of 185/60. The rears are fitted with Firestones - these are likely to be from the late 80s. They both have mild sidewall wear, and due to their age, it would be advisable to replace them. The front pairs are a Marshal dated from 2006 and a 2015 Accelera. All have legal tread.

Please take a look at the photos and videos for a detailed view of the exterior of the RS2000 and a closer look at the wheels and tyres to make your own assessment of their condition.

Bodywork

The engine bay is solid, although there is corrosion noted on the battery tray and some surface rust coming through on the nearside inner wing. The chassis rails and floor pan are decent, with some signs of age in areas. The wheel wells, boot floor and suspension mounts are in good shape.

The exterior presents well, with no panel damage. All doors open and close without obstruction. The panels are flush to the body, with slight differences noted on the boot lid and passenger doors; but nothing untoward. The plastic nose cone has mild distortion, but is free of cracks.

Corrosion is evident on the lowest section of the nearside front wing and may have penetrated the sill. Blisters are emerging on top of the near side front wing, the base of the offside rear wing and on the rear valance just below the offside light.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The diamond white paint has a consistent finish, decent lustre and is free of road wear. The bonnet has a splattering of marks, and the windscreen scuttle, offside front wing and door have small sections of paint imperfections.

The top of the offside rear wing has a small paint fracture near the spoiler and on the base of the nearside sill. The roof has a few surface marks. There is some mild paint overlap on the right-hand lower corner and base of the nose cone.

The black paint detailing is decent, with just some signs of imperfections.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass is in good shape, although there are minor marks spotted on the front passenger door glass. The seals all look healthy. The lights and lenses are clean, but the rear light lens seals show signs of age.

The trim is complete and correct for the model; we spotted mild signs of age on the base of the offside glass trim.

The decals are in good shape.

The front bumper's black paint has peeled somewhat, but both bumpers are free of metal damage and firmly mounted to the body.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

The cabin has been well preserved and retains its unique Recaro seats.

Seats and Carpets

The brown Fishnet Recaro fabric seats show age-related bagginess and a few surface marks, but are presentable and above the expectations of a car of this age.

The carpets have worn well and are all free of dampness.

The boot carpet is tidy.

Dashboard

The dashboard has lasted well, with minor signs of age in places, but is free of cracks or drill holes. The driver's side lower parcel shelf shows mild wear. The switches are in line with the age of the car, and all are said to work, although the indicator dashboard light was not operational; however, they do function. The dials are legible.

The top of the passenger door card shows some damage, but otherwise, both are free of scuffs or age.

The rear parcel shelf shows signs of age.

The headlining is free of damage, and the interior light unit would benefit from a replacement.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

Fitted with its original steering wheel - it's in good condition with just a few scuffs on the rim, but it still presents well.

The gear lever and handbrake look good, just mild age-related wear.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

Lively and willing, the robust 2-litre engine hurls the car with confidence.

Engine and Gearbox

The cold start didn’t pose any problems; it starts up without hesitation and idles smoothly with no engine wobbles, pops or bangs. The dashboard warning lights remained off, and aside from the usual cold engine condensation, there were no excessive exhaust fumes.

The engine has been well-maintained in the past. Some metal components show a sheen of surface corrosion that is in line with the car's age. The hoses and ancillaries all appear good.

The gearbox is slick and light to use, with no reported issues with the clutch.

Suspension and Brakes

Some of the front suspension components show a light patina of age, but overall, they look solid. The car rides smoothly, with no significant noises or wobbles from the wheels when in motion. The RS2000 corners without any knocks.

The braking is effective; a little grind was noted early in the journey, but that disappeared once they were used. There were no wobbles or judders in use.

The Drive

The SOHC 2-litre Pinto engine is a well-proven unit, with a versatile application in almost every Ford model of the era. The engine is known for its sporting prowess, but it has also gained a reputation for its smoothness and flexibility. By the time the MK2 Escort arrived, the engine had undergone continuous development and was notably quieter but retained its verve when pushed.

The engine warmed up quickly, with no lumpiness or hesitancy and pulled smoothly during our urban speed test drive. The stainless steel exhaust adds a pleasing tone. The car conducts itself on the road positively, with no issues with the roadholding, and is almost neutral in its characteristics. There were no wobbles or unwanted noises from the steering, and it appeared to have minimal play.

There was some internal cabin trim rattles that you'll hear in the video, but as far as we could work out, nothing untoward was coming from the mechanical components. It brakes in a straight line when the brakes were applied, and the slight road dampness didn’t cause any issues.

Dave has not experienced any issue with the engine temperature or oil pressure. The car was left running for short periods after the drive, and the gauges remained in check. We also noted that there were no fluid leaks on the day of our visit.

Electrics and Other

The car is fitted with an operational immobiliser.

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History and Paperwork

Well looked after by its owners, it comes with a good provenance of maintenance.

Registered in April 1980, it has a folder of invoices going back to the late 80s which pertain to upkeep and maintenance. There are a few invoices from the mid-2000s which include a timing belt, fuel pump and windscreen. The car has been kept in dry storage since 2016.

It also comes with a few old MOT certificates, the earliest dating from 1990. It has a current V5 and is MOT and road tax exempt.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a history check on the vehicle - this is a professional check operated by HPI that will highlight if the car has been previously stolen, recorded as being in an accident, or have any outstanding finance - note, this does not include a mileage history check.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment of the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bids, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
07-03-2015	MOT	46,892
01-08-2014	MOT	46,559
03-07-2013	MOT	44,647
11-06-2011	MOT	43,864
18-07-2005	MOT	43,503
07-09-1998	MOT	89,467
10-04-1992	MOT	85,134
18-03-1991	MOT	82,163
08-02-1990	MOT	76,895

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Key Details

ModelEscort RS2000 Custom
Transmission4-Speed Manual
Reg. Date17-04-1980
CC1993
Mileage~46,932 on clock
HistorySince 1988
ColourDiamond White
Interior ColourBrown
Interior TrimCloth
Chassis #GCATAR003700
Engine #AR00370
MOT ExemptYes
Road Tax ExemptYes
HPi ClearYes - All Clear
Former Keepers5
Tyre BrandFirestone/Accelera/Marshal
Tyre Age1988/2015/2006
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned~3 Years
Key FeatureOriginal Car
Vehicle RegistrationGYJ 275V
Driver’s SideRight
Body Type2 door saloon
Auction ID3136

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This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information or let us know if you want to be notified when a similar car comes to market.

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Seller : UDave

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2 Comments

Baz195

9 months ago

Hi. Can you confirm if the car is a genuine RS2000 please. Thanks.

Kulraj Salh

Admin

Baz195

9 months ago

Hi, everything seems to point to this, including the VIN number starting “GCAT” as stated, meaning built in Saarlouis, Germany. Best, Kulraj – Trade Classics

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